Martyn Charles Brabbins (born 13 August 1959) is a British
conductor. He was the music director of the
English National Opera from 2016 until his resignation in 2023.
Brabbins first came to international attention when he was awarded first prize at the
Leeds Conductors Competition in 1988. Between 1994 and 2005, Brabbins was Associate Principal Conductor of the
BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra. He became principal conductor of
Sinfonia 21 in 1994. He was
artistic director of the
Cheltenham Music Festival from 2005 to 2007.[2] During his Cheltenham tenure, he established a new ensemble, the Festival Players.[3] In
Leeds, he created a new chamber music series called "Music in Transition".[4] On 17 July 2011, Brabbins conducted the 6th live performance of
Havergal Brian's
Symphony No. 1 "The Gothic", at
The Proms,[5] which was later released on a Hyperion commercial recording.[6] Brabbins was subsequently named president of the Havergal Brian Society. Brabbins is also conductor laureate of the Huddersfield Choral Society. In 2002, Brabbins founded a training course for aspiring conductors at the
St Magnus International Festival in
Orkney,[7] which he continues to co-direct.
Outside of the UK, Brabbins became principal guest conductor of
deFilharmonie (Royal Flemish Philharmonic) in 2009. He held the position of chief conductor of the
Nagoya Philharmonic Orchestra from 2012 to 2016.
Brabbins first guest-conducted at
English National Opera (ENO) in 2012, in a production of Vaughan Williams' The Pilgrim's Progress.[8] On 21 October 2016, ENO named Brabbins its next music director, with immediate effect.[9] On 15 October 2023, Brabbins resigned from ENO, with immediate effect, in protest at proposed music personnel reductions to the company's music staff.[10][11]
Recordings
Brabbins has conducted commercial recordings of music for such labels as Warner,[12] Chandos,[13][14][15][16] Hyperion,[17][18] NMC,[19] Nimbus,[20] and Deutsche Grammophon.[21]
Brabbins and his wife Karen (née Evans) met at Goldsmiths. The couple married in 1985, and have three children. In January 2013, the
University of Bristol awarded Brabbins an honorary degree, of Doctor of Music honoris causa.[1]